Sunday, December 11, 2005

I really hate that Sunday night feeling. You know the one...where you've realized that you have to go back to work tomorrow morning and you'd rather do ANYTHING but. It's a sense of dread that makes me tired and cranky.

We spent the day at the Santa Claus Express at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Steve and I lived in Bedford, a mere ten minutes away, for four years...and never road the rails. Now that we have a train freak in our three-year-old, we have the perfect excuse to indulge ourselves. We had wanted to ride the Polar Express, but they sold out in September. (We will know to plan better for next year.) We hadn't told Sam where we were headed. I wish I had the camera ready the moment he realized we were going for a train ride. And his, "Oh YEAH!" with the thumbs up sign was totally perfect.

I sometimes think I was born in the wrong time. I've been to a couple medieval fairs that made me realize how much I love the slower life. I know I enjoy my internet access and my blog, but taking time to just BE...to enjoy some time together...is just the thing for the soul. It forces you to live in the moment...to enjoy every second...all the small things.

We decided to enjoy the train trip with the layover in a teeny tiny village. I worried that Sam would grow bored and make us miserable. But when we got off the train, we were able to explore the station, eat at the Winking Lizard, and spend quality time in a small bookstore with a treehouse and complimentary coffee. It was...in a word...lovely. We enjoyed one another. We laughed (and cried) and generally slowed WAY down.

I wonder why it is we have to have nostalgiac things like trains to remind us that we don't have to rush, rush, rush. I know a lot of things seem important...but I couldn't replace today if I tried. And when I look back on my life THIS will be the kind of thing I rank as truly important.

It also made me realize how much I wish I could run a small bookstore. To spend my life surrounded by the wise (and not-so-wise words) of real authors...to be able to enjoy people as they come and not have to worry about processing them through on some deadline. To offer complimentary coffee and a children's treehouse that makes memories for families on a weekend getaway. That sounds so lovely.

I bought too many books and I think I'm going to send some of them out to friends...provided I ever have time to actually read them.